LPN or LVN certification can be achieved in about a year of study at a community or vocational school and sometimes through a hospital. At Trinidad State Junior College in Colorado, to become an LPN, a student must first complete two prerequisite courses in anatomy and physiology, as well as courses in microbiology, English and growth and development. The LPN certificate covers seven courses that include nursing fundamentals, pharmacology, nutrition, math for clinicians, medical and surgical nursing concepts plus a course in obstetrics and pediatrics and another in pathophysiology, the study of changes in human bodily functions.
A two-year associate of science degree in nursing, a common pathway for individuals to enter the nursing profession, requires four semesters of study that include clinical practice in a hospital or other care facility. At Florida Keys Community College, an AS degree in nursing requires 72 semester hours covering similar courses found in the LPN plus such courses as mental health nursing, chemistry and general psychology along with 16 semester hours of clinical training.
A BSN, often required by many hospitals and other healthcare facilities, can open doors in nursing leadership and advancement. There are many programs offered in four-year colleges and universities that help the two-year RN earn a four-year BSN. Many of these programs offer credit for nursing skills achieved on the job and provide flexible schedules on weekends or evenings to better serve the working nurse. Michigan State University's BSN program for registered nurses is structured on a foundation of biology, behavioral sciences and the humanities that can be taken online except for the required clinical experiences.
Graduate nursing programs, including master's degrees and doctorates, are primarily designed for students interested in careers in research, teaching and nursing administration. Doctor of nursing science programs are specifically designed to train researchers and clinical leaders with courses covering health care outcomes, statistics, economics and other administrative areas. Doctor of philosophy (PhD) nursing degree programs are aimed at scholars and researchers interested in pursing the theoretical underpinning of nursing education, practice and delivery. These areas are expected to grow rapidly over the next decade. Some colleges offer programs that allow an RN with an associate degree to pursue a master's degree. There are also joint degree programs which cover a master of science in nursing (MSN) with a master's degree in public health or with a master of business administration. The MSN/MSHA trains nurses in health administration.